A champion bodybuilder claims his family's gym opened during lockdown as part of a "peaceful protest" against coronavirus restrictions.
Strongman Eddy Ellwood made the claim as he appeared in court for the second time in a matter of days, after officials ordered his dad's Durham gym to shut.
TeessideLive reports Ed's Gym and Fitness Centre, in Horden, was served with the closure notice by Durham County Council on Wednesday.
Last week Eddy - a former Mr Universe - made headlines after his Hartlepool gym Xtreme Fitness was closed down for three months at Teesside Magistrates' Court.
On Thursday, he appeared before Newton Aycliffe Magistrates' Court with his brother Karl Ellwood.
The pair told the court they were there on behalf of their dad Edmond Ellwood senior. The 81-year-old, who suffers from vascular dementia, was served with the notice along with Karl.
The brothers, who were both dressed in black coats and black jeans, outlined their interest in the business to Deputy District Judge Mark Daley.
Karl, from Horden, told the court he had been looking after the gym on behalf of his father.
Eddy, from Blackhall, near Hartlepool, said: "I'm in support of a peaceful protest in which we were doing at both my gym in Hartlepool and the gym in Horden."
Karl asked the judge if they could have a adjournment so they could have time to seek legal advice.
He said: "During the lockdown I have actually used the premises. We were using it as a peaceful protest, we are a peaceful protesting group not a business."
When the judge asked Karl: "This is to do with human rights being balanced with the regulations?", he replied: "Yes your honour".
He said: "My brother's in Hartlepool has a closure order on that and he didn't dispute that.
"We are not disputing for the gym to be closed, we were using it for peaceful protesting which is why I would like legal advice."
Deputy District Judge Daley told the brothers: "The virus doesn't protest peacefully, it kills people and that's why there are regulations."
He told them that he could give them some time to take some legal advice as it was their livelihood.
The judge said: "I'm going to adjourn this case until afternoon of February 24 - that's six days from now.
"I do think you need to be realistic in the situation your in and there could be cost implications for you."
Following the court case, Eddy said: "The close notice came under the form of an ASBO - an antisocial behaviour order which is ludicrous really because the only antisocial around here or breach of any peace was when the police and the local authorities turned up in numbers - because all we were doing was peacefully protesting.
"Peacefully protesting against the many measures that the Government have put in place which is causing a collateral damage in the younger age group - suicide, mental health, unemployment, drug abuse, alcohol abuse, domestic abuse - the list is endless.
"Basically we're just trying to say it's disproportionate and something needs to stop because gyms are healthy places and healthy people are not dying of this disease and we should be responsible to look after our own health."
